Steam generator



Feb. 19, 1935.

A. R. PANGBORN A 1,991,572

STEAM GENERATOR Filed Aug. 31, 1933 2 Sheets-Shee t 1 Fig.1.

' INVENTOR. R

H .Pan born 1 7 A T T ORNEYS.

- Feb. 19, 1935.

A. R. PANGBORN STEAM GENERATOR Filed Aug. 51, 1933 1 s ii l l I 3/ INVENTOR. n Z90)")Z ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 19, 1935 1,991,572

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEAM GENERATOR Arthur R. Pangborn, Watkins Glen, N. Y.

Application August 31, 1933, Serial No. 687,699 15 Claims. (01. 122 -448) This invention relates to a steam generator and coil formation, as shown best in Figures 1 and 4. has for its object to generate steam from water These water traps at various levels in the coil in the least possible time by the well known Flash have an important bearing on the operation of a method. the coil because it may be seen from the shape of 5 Another object of the invention is to provide these traps that these traps, while at different 5 means whereby the heat is automatically cut off levels, prevent hot water from circulating back when the supply of water to the generator is when the heat is cut off and the steam condenses stopped. in pockets or traps containing water, thus giving Another object of the invention is to reduce to me an even flow of steam when heat .is applied a minimum the stack losses of the heat used in and preventing air pockets, and, as will be ex- 10 converting the water to steam. piained hereafter, contribute partly to keeping Another'object of the inventionjs to provide thepressures delicately balanced, and making the means whereby the water for generating the coil really a flash converter of water into steam. steam and the gas for heating the water are deli- 555 indicates the gas burner. Gas is sup- I5 cately balanced even when water is taken from p ied to t e bu e t o a p p 6 which y water mains operating under different pressures have extending from it a pilot P and burner and one cannot produce heat without at the same Water is supplied to the coil through a pipe 8 time turning on the water though the generator having any sui ble valve 8' therein for lettin coils are normally nearly empty of water. 0n and cutting Off t e a e Another object of the invention is to provide To aut mati al y au th cooperation of the 20 means for increasing or decreasing the amount g d Water entering the System to mutually of water in the generated steam and thus to procontrol each other, I provide my Flomotor. ilduce dry steam or wet steam as desired. s rated n detail in Figure wherein is p Another object of the invention is to prevent V d d a Cylindrical casing 10 having gas inlet burning or destruction or the heating coils and 11 and a gas Outlet 12. Within the easing I D P- 25 by the instant'conversion of water'into steam as vide preferably a solid piston 13 having extending it enters the heating coil or transverter removes around its periph y a groove 14 and at either d all danger of boiler explosion. of the casing 10 I provide 'diaphragms, preferably With these and other objects in view which will of a rubber or composition of rubber and canvas,

be developed as the description proceeds, I will 15 16 attached at their peripheries to the casing 30 nowdescribe my invention-in connection with the but capable of e pa d and moving backwardaccompanying drawings in which:--- ly and forwardly in ehambers 18 and 19 in the Figure'l is a sectional view of my furnace and casinge pis on 13 be at e d a st a side view of what I denominate my Flomotor? the diaphr gm 15 and at the other end against t or control mechanism. diaphragm 16. 20 is a water inlet into which the 35 Figure 2 is a sectional view, on a larger scale pipe 8 (Figure may be screwed, Said inlet 20 than Figure l, of the water and gas control mech-' extending inwardly into the p 21 fitting ver anism.- the cylindrical casing 10 and diaphragm 15, and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the onnection 22 is a water valve between the inlet and a cham- 0 of the heating coil,'with a safety valve, steam 2 in the cap. The diaphragm lfi'constitutes 40 pressure gauge and the steam outlet tube. one side of the chamber 23. Water entering the Figure 4 is a top view of the heating coil illuswater inlet 20 may, under certain conditions trating how numerous water traps are provided hereafter explained, pass through the valve 22 in the heating coil. and alsointo the chamber 23 and operate by pres- 1 is the casing for the coil, preferably comsure on the diaphragm 15. In the position of the 45 posed of inner and outer metallic jackets having parts shown in Figure 2, this would cause the a cement filler 1' between them to confine the piston 13 to descend and bring the groove '14 heat inside the casing. 2 is a heating coil or what in line with the gas inlet 11. Gas could then flow I denominate a transverter made by properly through the gas inlet around throughthe groove bending a single pipe or tube, as illustrated in 14 and pass out of the gas outlet 12 to a pipe 25 50 the drawings, in such a way that numerous watefi (Figure 1) screwed therein to the gas burner 5. traps as 33-3 etc. are formed therein. This The gas would then be ignited by the constantly is accomplished by periodically bending a section burning pilot '7. I of 'the pipe as 3', 3", 3' etc. back over previously The valve 22 would be open while the gas was formed coils, thence downwardly to continue the being supplied through the groove 14 to the burner and thus water that does not pass into the chamber 23 would fiow from the water inlet 20 through the valve 22 into the pipe 26 (Figure 1) inserted in the opening 22' in the cap 21 and through the pipe 26 to a preheater 27 and from the preheater to the main heating coil 2.

To delicately balance the piston 13, which au- .tomatically regulates the inward flow of the gas spring 30 and in this way get an exceedingly deli-' cate adjustment between the diaphragms 15 and 16 and piston 13, regulating the inflow of water and gas. I may apply an adjusting nut 36 to the rod 3'7, as shown best in Figure 2.

Screws 40 (Figure 2), holding the spring casing 35 to the cylinder casing 10, also maintain the diaphragm 16 in place. Similar screws (not shown) may hold the cap 21 to the diaphragm 15 in place. Spring casing 35 is provided with an opening 42 (Figure 2) in which-the pipe 43 (Figure 1) is inserted and which extends upwardly and then horizontally and is connected by a coupling 58 to the top of the main heating coil 2.

The main heating coil 2 at its top is connected to a four-way coupling 44 (Figure 3) and through one branch of the coupling, to a safety valve 45, through a second branch of the coupling, to a steam outlet 46, and through a third branch to a steam gauge 4'7. 1

It will be readily seen from the foregoing that when the steam is generated, there will be a back pressure through the coupling 58 and the pipe 43 and inlet 42 (Figure 2) against the (rubber) diaphragm 16 which will tend to move the piston 13 to the position shown in Figure 2 to cut oil? the gas and water when the pressure in thechamber 18 exceeds the pressure in the chamber 23, and, of course, reversal of excess pressures would move the piston 13 in the opposite direction.

Whenever pressure of steam plus tension of spring 30 in the heating coil 2 becomes greater than the water pressure, the steam will pass down through the pipe 43 and opening 42 (Figure 2) and cause the piston 13 to move upwardly and begin to cut off the supply of gas to the burner which will, of course, reduce the steam pressure and whenever it becomes too much reduced, the piston 13 will be moved downwardly by the pressure of the water on the diaphragm 15, from the position shown in Figure 2, to supply more gas to produce more steam pressure in the heating coil and by regulating the pressure on the spring 30 any desired differential values between the water and back steam pressure may be obtained. This is a very important part of my invention because by changing the pressure on the spring 30 I can maintain a steam pressure 5 to 6 pounds below water pressure, thus allowing water to enter coil at its maximum working pressure.

In order to preheat the water before it reaches the main heating coil 2, I provide a preheater, or what I denominate a pre-transverter, 27 constituting an upward continuation of pipe 26 (Figure 1) connected at its top by a return pipe 50 terminating in a coupling 51 (Figure 1) in which I may provide an adjusting valve having a handle 52 for regulating the amount of water passing down through the pipe 50, coupling 51 to a pipe 53 which extends down, as shown in Figure 1, and is connected by a portion 54 to the bottom of the coils 2 through a three-way coupling 55, one

branch of which may have the-coil drain pipe 56 5 extending therefrom and having within it a drain valve 57 for draining out any water that may remain in the pipe when desired.

It will thus be seen that the top of the coil 2 communicates with the chamber 18 through coupling 58 and tube 43 and the pressure in the main coil, therefore, is transmitted through the pipe 43 to operate the piston 13 and open or close the gas inlet 11, as before described, and any water remaining in the traps 3, which being at different levels in the coil and each trap containing only a relatively small amount of condensed steam and all the traps may be simultaneously heated when heat is started, will have its influence in quickly regulating the movement of the piston 13. I find in practice that the water in the traps never accumulates very much'in each trap and when the gas is lighted there is very little water left in the coil or traps so that the generation of steam may be very quickly started. Indeed, I find that I can generate steam from cold water to a working pressure ordinarily in from 60 to seconds, which is a great advantage in generators of this character, particularly in-saving gas. I also find that my generator will operate efliciently in a variation in water pressure of 25 to pounds per square inch in the water main.

I also find it, under certain conditions, to be very advantageous to be able to supply wet steam or dry steam as desired. For example in the textile art the air should be kept at standard stages of saturation. By operating the valve handle 52 in the pipe 53, I can get as much water as desired in the steam and deliver the steam as wet steam or dry steam in accordance with the position of the valve operated by the handle 52.

Operation To operate my generator, the water is turned on by turning the valve 8 in the pipe 8. The water will flow through the water inlet 20 (Figure 2) and valve 22 into the chamber 23 'until the pres-,- sure of the water forces the piston 15 downwardly against the pressure of the spring 30, as shown in Figure 2, until the groove 14 in the piston gradwill extend back through the pipe 43 (Figure 1) into the back pressure inlet 42 (Figure 2) and thence into the chamber 18 and balance the water pressure in the chamber 19. When the water pressure is as great as the back steam pressure plus the pressure of the spring 30, the groove 14 willbe kept nearly opposite the gas inlet 11 and the heat from the burner will be kept at its maximum efficiency. When the back pressure from the steam coming into the chamber 18 becomes slightly greater or less than the water pressure coming in through the valve 22, the piston 13 will move back and forth to automatically keep this pressure about the same and this operation will continue even when the valve 65'is opened to permit the proper outlet flow of the steam to its work since, as the outlet flow of the steam continues, there will be enough back pressure of the steam through the inlet 42 to keep the piston 13 in its proper position so that the amount of gas admitted to the burner will correspond to the outflow of the steam and be automatically regulated by the piston 13.

The amount of water in the steam as it flows from the outlet may be regulated by the adjusting valve handle 52 and the emitted steam be either dry steam or wet steam in accordance with the amount of waterdesired inthe steam. As far as I am aware, I am the first to provide means whereby I may at any time obtain wet, dry. or superheated steam at any or all working pressures.

The pressure of the steam is indicated on the steam gauge 47 and, out of abutment caution, I have provided a safety valve at 45 to allow escape of steam in an emergency. I

By regulating the pressure on the spring 30, I can adjust the apparatus to any water pressure in the water mains, for example, of a city.

By shutting oif thewater from the water main through the pipe 8, the pressure on top of the diaphragm 15 is lessened and the back pressure of the steam on the piston 13 through the inlet 42 into the chamber 18 will be great enough to automatically shut off the gas so thatwhen the water is shut off the 'gas will be automatically shut oif. This will prevent burning or injury to the coils and furthermore the amount of water retained in the traps 3 will be reduced to a minimum and really cause the generator to operate under the well known Flash method and begin the generation of steam, when the water is again turned on, in a minimum amount of time, in practice something like sixty to ninety seconds after the water and gas are turned on. Y

Having now described one form of my invention and its operation, I do not desire its limitation to this form for evidently it may be changed in many ways without departing from the spirit and principle of the invention.

What I claim as new is:.

1. A steam generator comprising a heating coil, a heater therefor, a steam outlet, a casing having-gas and water inlets and outlets therein,

a valve to open and close the water inlet and mechanism for automatically opening the gas inlet when the water inlet is opened and steam pipe connections from said mechanism to the coil whereby the gas will be cut off automatically by back steam pressure from the coil soon after the water is out 01f.

2. A steam generator comprising a coil and'a ture being connected at oppositely disposed points formed therein at different heights thereof, a gas inlet to said burner, said burner being beneath all said traps whereby all said traps may be simultaneously heated, a water inletfrom a high pressure water 'supply in communication with the coil and a unitary valve structure intermediate said inlets operative respectively by steam back pressure from the coil and by the water pressure, said valve structure being normally balanced between these pressures and operative to quickly cut off the gas by the steam back pressure from the coil when heat is applied after the water is cut off.

4. A steam generator comprising a main heating coil having at different levels therein traps formed in said coil, a heater for the coil beneath all said traps to adapt it to heat all the traps simultaneously, a preheating coil, a casing and water inlet and gas inlet to said casing, a pipe connecting said casing with the preheater, a second pipe connecting the casing with the heating coil and means in said casing for automatically cutting off the supply of gas to the heater soon after the water supply is cut off to the casing, said coil having therein an adjustable valve between' the preheater and main heating coil for controlling the supply of water to the main heating coil to regulate the amount of water in the generated steam.

5. A steam generator comprising a preheating coil, a main heating coil and a pipe connecting the exit end of the preheating coil and the entrance end of the main heating coil and a water controlling valve to control admission of water to the preheating coil, a casing for the valve, a water-pipe extending from one end of the casing to the entrance end of the preheating coil and a steam pipe from the other end of the casing to the exit of the main coil, a piston in the casing operable by diiferential pressures between the water supply and the steam pressure, the latter for controlling the water admission valve a gas inlet and outlet to the casing, said piston having a groove in its peripheral surface to control the gas and a spring in the casing having means to adjust the pressure thereof on the piston to adapt the opening of the piston controlled water valve for different heads of water pressure to, the valve.

6. A steam generator comprising a main heating coil, and a preheating coil, a valve casing and a water inlet valve in the casing, a pipe connecting said casing to the water entrance coil of the preheating coil, a pipe connecting the exit portion of the preheater coil-to the water entrance portion of the main heating coil and also a pipe connecting the casing to the exit portion of the main heater coil, a piston having at either end a movable diaphragm in the casing one diaphragm carrying an element of the valve, said valve element being operative to close the ingress of water to the preheater by the back pressure of steam from the exit portion of the main heater coil on the other diaphragm, the water outlet pressure being imposed upon one end of the piston while steam pressure is on the other end '7. A device as set forth in claim 6 and having a spring in the casing tensioned against the diaphragm with means to adjust the pressure on the spring, said spring acting in the same direction as the back pressure steam to adapt the valve to operate under different inlet water pressure heads.

8. A steam generator comprising a heater, 9. main heating coil and a preheating coil, a casing, valves in the casing to control the admission of water and gas to the generator, a pipe extending from the casing to the water entrance end of the preheater, a second pipe extending from the exit end of the preheater alongside the main heater and to its entrance end, a third pipe extending from the casing to the steam and water exit end of the main heater, and a. piston in the casing operable in one direction by incoming water to control said valves for the admission of water to the preheater and gas to the heater and operable in the opposite direction by theback pressure of the steam from the exit portion of the main heating coil.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the main heating coil has a plurality of traps therein at various levels in the main coil to prevent hot water in the main coil from circulating backwards and collecting in any one place in the main coil and whereby the water in the various traps may be quickly heated when the heater is lighted.

10. A steam generator comprising a heating coil and a preheating coil connected to the coldest end of the heating coil, a cylindrical valve casing having one end connected to the entrance end ofv the preheating coil, a cold water inlet pipe leading from a water main and connected to the same end of the cylindrical-casing, a gas heater, a gasinlet and outlet to and from said casing and a piston valve fitting snugly in said cylindrical casing from end to end and having a groove for controlling said gas inlet and outlet, a pipe extending from the other end of the said cylindrical valve casing and connected to the hot end of the heating coil, and chambers at either end of the piston one of which is connected with the cold water inlet pipe and has a water outlet valve and the other chamber is connected with the pipe to the hot end of the heating coil.

11. A steam generator comprising a preheating and a heating coil, a valve casing and a water valve therein, a cold water supply pipe leading into said valve casing and a cold water outlet from the valve casing, a pipe leading therefrom to the preheating coil, a gas heater, a gas inlet and outlet passage in said valve casing; a piston in the valve casing for controlling said water valve and gas inlet and outlet and pipes extending from the valvelcasing, one at either end of the piston, and in communication respectively with the preheating and the heating coils whereby back pressure of the steam in the heating coil is operable on said piston against the pressure of the cold water to shut on the gas by the shutting oif of the cold water.

12. A steam generator comprising a casing, a heating coil therein and a preheater connected to said heating coil, a steam outlet, 9. second casing having therein a water inlet, a water valve to open and close the inlet, a gas inlet and a valve structure for automatically cutting 011 the gas after the"water is cut off, a pipe connection extending from the water outlet to said preheater, a second pipe connection extending from mitting steam pressure from the heating coil to said valve structure to operate said valve structure to cut off the gas at the valve structure after the water is cut off by said valve in the water inlet.

13. A steam generator having a water inlet pipe with a valve therein for cutting off, and letting on the water, a gas heater and a valve casing having therein a piston cylinder and a piston, said casing having chambers at opposite ends of the piston, one of the chambers being connected with the water inlet and having a water inlet valve therein, the other chamber having a connecting pipe with the steam outlet, said piston being operative from one end by the inlet water and'at the other end by steam from the heater,

said piston having means for controlling the gas inlet and being operative by the incoming water to open the gas inlet valve, the piston being operative from its opposite end by the steam from the boiler when the inlet water valve is shut oil to close the gas inlet valve.

14. A steam generator comprising a heating coil and a burner therefor, a casing, a valved water inlet to said casing, a water outlet from said casing, agas inlet and outlet to said casing, a piston in said casing arranged in abutting relation between two deformable diaphragms, the water outlet to said casing being arranged sothat the water pressure acts upon one of said diaphragms, a valve actuated by said diaphragm between said water inlet and said water outlet, pressure transference connections between the other diaphragm and the steam zone of the boiler, said piston having a circumferential groove arranged to be moved into and out of communication with said gas inlet and outlet respectively by pressure differential between said water supply and steam pressure.

15. A steam generator comprising a main coil and a connected preheating coil, a burner, 9. casing having a gas inlet and outlet and also a water inlet pipe communicating with the casing, said water inlet pipe having a manually operated valve therein, a piston, the opposite ends of which are between the water outlet and said coil, said piston controlling the gas inlet and outlet, said piston being also connected respectively with the cold end of the preheater coil and the hottest end of the main coil by separate pipes, said piston being operative by the water pressure and the steam back pressure respectively to supply gas from the as inlet to the heater when the water inlet is open and to automatically shut off the gas from the gas inlet by steam pressure from the hot end of the maincoil soon after the water inlet is closed and the water shut off.

I ARTHUR R. PANGBORN. 

